Monthly Archives: March 2010

Windows Localization – Language for Worldwide and Local Audiences

Leave a reply

Who: Ulrike Irmler, Microsoft

When: Monday, April 5, 2010 from 2-4pm

Where: Irvine Auditorium, MIIS

Microsoft Windows covers a breadth of audiences from consumer, to IT professionals to developers. With more than 1 billion customers worldwide and 100 target languages, translation and localization activities span from user interface localization to digital marketing, developer kits, licensing agreements, and many other text and domain types.

Ulrike Irmler, who manages Window’s localization team,  will give an overview of the Windows business by presenting several end-to-end localization scenarios (user interface, web content, developer and consumer). She will focus on market-strategy, translation challenges, standards and linguistic quality. Ulrike will also discuss the latest translation paradigms such as machine translation and crowd sourcing in the context of large-scale enterprise localization.

“Green Business” Goes Multilingual and Individualized: Designing and Implementing Curriculum for “Green Business in China”

Leave a reply

Professor Jin huei Dai presented at Ross Business School at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, March 20th, 2010

This paper addressed the design and implementation of business curriculum for a special purpose: environmental protection in China.  To integrate technological use in the language classroom, “Green business in China” advocates the use of blogging, GoogleDoc, Moodle, Youtube and others as part of Chinese language instruction.  Moreover, to broaden the influence of “Green Impact”, this course has an unique multilingual component in sharing the blogging site with Spanish Program’s “Green Business in Latin America.”  Learners in both classes can not only learn the language but also learn the content through the weekly blogging site.  In addition to blogging, this course may be tailored to the learners’ needs by integrating individualization and innovative approaches to encourage learners to further their interest in environmental protection and green business using Chinese language.

Advice for aspiring translators

Leave a reply

The Institute’s programs were recently cited in a post sharing advice for aspiring translators:

If you are interested in becoming a translator, I recommend you enroll in a good university-level translation program. The best in the States is offered by the Monterey Institute of International Studies, but there are also good programs elsewhere, including several offered online (among these, the program offered by the University College of Denver University, where I teach).

The author has also written about business practices and other topics for beginning translators.

"Information, news & opinions about professional translation" - by Riccardo Schiaffino

"Information, news & opinions about professional translation" - by Riccardo Schiaffino

Shirley Brice Heath Visit: Friday, March 19 @ 2

Leave a reply

Who: All Students
What: Visiting scholar, Shirley Brice Heath, shares her recent research
When: Friday, March 19, 2010 at 2:00 pm
Where: MG 100, Monterey Institute of International Studies

Moving the human eye and mind: Visual, musical and literary arts in grounding cognition

Shriley Brice Heath

Shirley Brice Heath

Economically advanced nations currently reflect a curious twist in reasoning. In spite of strong historical support for parallel economic and aesthetic development in the history of modern Western nations, education systems in many nations today are reducing art, music, and literature in their curricula. Teachers of the humanities and arts hold less prestige than their counterparts in the sciences and mathematics. The inextricable links between the development of science and advances in aesthetic creativity go unnoticed in current arguments for denying opportunities to learn creativity, work across media and modes, and develop expertise in visual perception and renderings of imagination in sketches, drawings, and models. Technological advances make imperative the “reading,” embodying, and creating of images to such an extent that neuroscientists now see these ways of learning as grounding cognition. This lecture considers these research findings in terms of implications for human learning across the life span.

Using languages in international development: MIIS alumni and programs featured

Leave a reply

Learning a language can open up a whole new world to people.  Many students pursue language study precisely because they want to get involved in making this world a better place.  International development has always had a strong pull for language students, offering a chance to travel and experience other cultures while doing good.  It is a broad field where one may leverage special interests and knowledge, like health care, law, or business, into a fulfilling exciting career.

MIIS alumni and programs featured by ACTFL

MIIS alumni and programs featured by ACTFL

Language skills are key

A recent “Career Focus” feature article in The Language Educator highlighted the importance of combining language skills, experience living and working abroad, technical expertise in areas such as business and public administration, with characteristics such as being pro-active, self-motivated, adaptable and able to embrace the unexpected.

Jonathan Axtell (MBA, '08)

Jonathan Axtell (MBA, '08)

In addition to discussions of the Peace Corps and other international organizations, a significant section is devoted to detailing various Monterey Institute programs and alumni, including a discussion of our unique language offerings by GSTILE Dean Renée Jourdenais, and photos and stories of alumni in the field:  Jonathan Axtell (MBA ’08), Ravi Dutta (MPA ’09) and Pete LaRaus (MPA ’04).

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) is dedicated to the improvement and expansion of the teaching and learning of foreign languages, and has more than 9,000

Ravi Dutta (MPA '09) and Pete LaRaus (MPA '04)

Ravi Dutta (MPA '09) and Pete LaRaus (MPA '04)

foreign language educators and administrators as members.

The Language Educator is ACTFL’s newest publication; it provides comprehensive coverage of foreign language teaching and administration, and serves educators of all languages at all levels as a single, comprehensive source of news and information.

Copies of The Language Educator are available in the MIIS library, and ACTFL members can read the full issue online.

Professional associations panel: a remarkable gathering

Leave a reply

A recent career fair panel discussion hosted by GSTILE assembled representatives from a remarkable range of professional associations from across the interpreting spectrum.

audience members listen to panel via simultaneous interpretation

audience members listen to panel via simultaneous interpretation

Facilitator Jacolyn Harmer, Professor and Program Chair for Translation and Interpretation, noted that

Sometimes we participate in events in our lives when we don’t really fully understand the complete significance of those events.  I’m going to suggest that this might be one of them for you, because if you look at this panel, I doubt that you will ever be in a room again with this kind of expertise all assembled at one time.

Representatives from the following organizations shared their perspectives in English, Spanish and French, with simultaneous interpretation into English provided by interpretation practicum students:

Many thanks to the panelists as well as all who organized, contributed to, and participated in this event.

PCMI Returnees & Packages

Leave a reply

This past Fall the MA TESOL program was re-graced with the presence of three of its returned Peace Corps Master‘s International (PCMI) students: David Chiesa, Ryan Damerow and Heather Kokesch. The three returned Peace Corps volunteers (RPCVs) were previously serving as tertiary-level education volunteers teaching English. David and Ryan served in China, while Heather served in the Philippines from 2007-2009. The three returned in the Summer of 2009 and began classes last Fall. Spring 10 will be their last semester at MIIS all three are MA TESOL and LPA certificate candidates.

pc package

Peace Corps packages being sent out to current PCMI students serving in China, Honduras, and Kazakhstan

Current PCMI students in the field include Kristina Swamy serving in China, Mica Tucci serving in El Salvador, and Kristine Balderelli serving in Kazakhstan. The GSTILE office has made a point to send them holiday cards, care packages, and most recently valentines. As it has become tradition to send packages to our volunteering students once again we were able to solicit assistance from local businesses such as Whole Foods and Trader Joe‘s to assist in sending out some pretty hearty packages. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to these packages to help support our PCMI students for all of their selfless service.

By Heather Kokesch MA TESOL, PCMI & LPA Certificate Candidate